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Anurognathus
Anurognathus is a genus of rhamphorhynchoid pterosaur, which lived during the late Jurassic period (154-130 MYA) in what is now Germany. Facts Anurognathus is a genus of small pterosaur that lived during the Tithonian stage of the late Jurassic period. Anurognathus was first named and described by Ludwig Döderlein in 1923. The type species is Anurognathus ammoni. The genus name Anurognathus is derived from the Greek αν/an- ("without"), оυρα/oura ("tail"), and γναθος/gnathos ("jaw") in reference to its unusually small tail relative to other "rhamphorhynchoids" (i.e. basal) pterosaurs. The specific name ammoni honours the Bavarian geologist Ludwig von Ammon, from whose collection Döderlein had acquired the fossil in 1922. )]] ''Anurognathus was one of the smallest pterosaurs, having a wingspan of about 50 centimeters. Because of that, Anurognathus was near the bottom of the food chain. However, Anurognathus would usually be safe from predators as it was a nocturnal, somewhat bat-like insectivore. Portrayal in the series In the series it was inaccurately depicted as a creature that lived its entire life on the backs of sauropods. They got their food source from various parasites that would prey on their homes, unlike their depiction in The Ballad of Big Al, where they were shown to live without any symbionts and hunt for their food (while also being prey for such predators as Al). Appearances in the programmes ''Walking with Dinosaurs Time of the Titans '')]] An ''Anurognathus was first seen clinging to a plant before flying onto the side of an adult Diplodocus. The Anurognathus was then joined by other members of his genus in consuming on the insects living on the sauropods. Whilst the large Diplodocus herd continued feeding and defecating, the Anurognathus fought, fed and bred on the lumbering leviathans. Years later, when the episode's lead, an adolescent female Diplodocus, grew up, an Anurognathus was seen flying onto her to feed. ''The Ballad of Big Al ''Anurognathus was constantly seen as a background creature in the special. A notable appearance was where one was seen feeding on the decaying and dried-up corpse of a Dryosaurus. But, then, suddenly, Big Al swiftly snatched the Anurognathus and devoured it. ''Walking with Monsters Clash of Titans ''Anurognathus was seen at the end of the episode in the Jurassic landscape. The scene shown in the episode was stock footage from Time of the Titans. Errors *The Anurognathus shown in the series is seen living in North America. Fossils of Anurognathus have only been uncovered in Germany. However, fossils of a possible relative Mesadactylus have been discovered in North America. *The animal has a bizarrely long neck, a narrower snout (in reality the animal's snout was much wider), no pycnofibers, and a wrong wing membrane folding. However, the animal in the series is based on a now-outdated restoration from 1975, whereas the current depiction of the creature is based on a 2007 fossil analysis -- several years after the series was released. Trivia *''Anurognathus'' also appeared in the related show Primeval in Episode 1.5 and Episode 5.5. The Anurognathus in Primeval however, were inaccurately depicted as ferocious, flesh-eating monsters. *''Anurognathus'' was shown living on Diplodocus in Time of the Titans. In The Ballad of Big Al, the Anurognathus was seen living on its own, away from any sauropod. Gallery Death Trap BBC The Ballad Of Big Al.png Dare Anurognathus 2000.PNG Drama Anurognathus 2000.PNG Category:Walking with Dinosaurs Animals Category:Carnivores Category:Ballad of Big Al Animals Category:Time of the Titans animals Category:Clash of Titans animals Category:Mesozoic animals Category:Jurassic animals Category:Animals from Europe Category:Chordates Category:Flock animals Category:Reptiles Category:Rhamphorhynchoids Category:Quadrupedal animals Category:Flying reptiles Category:Aerial predators Category:Oviparous animals Category:Insectivores Category:Killers Category:Animals Category:Animals from North America